Worried notice period will scupper new job offer (CS)

[User2638483]

Am really ready for a change - Got provisional job offer, pending references, checks and security clearance. They say not to give notice on current job until you have a formal offer. But have just clarified my current notice period is 2 months. No ones asked me so far what it is….

Am worried now this might mean they retract the offer. As I know they were hoping I’d be part of a cohort of training starting mid March. Although I know dates can shift.

I just turned down another job offer for this so I really hope it doesn’t scupper things. Is 2 months notice unusually long?
If I have annual leave owed can I stop the job earlier and start alternative employment? Or not if I’m technically on leave from the other job and still employed….

2 months notice isn’t long at all, I really wouldn’t worry.

Some employers take the holiday leave from the notice period, so you won't be employed when you've started your new post. You could probably negotiate to leave in time to start the training.

Your current employer might pay you holiday and let you leave earlier?

If by CS you mean civil service then security clearances can take ages so I wouldn’t worry

Ok thank you

I’m not sure how it’s going to work as I’m term time only. Paid evenly over the year and started in January a few years ago on this contract. So as a chunk of my leave falls over August, presumably if I leave in March April or May then I will be owed some.

Yes civil service. I know they can take ages which makes me worry more because I think it could be a good while before I can even give notice!

CS are absolutely useless for this. You wait ages for them and then they'll give you something like 2 weeks notice to start- I had to turn down their job offer last year as my circumstances had moved on in the time they'd taken I just couldn't make it work. However they will normally let you defer as long as you can provide proof that you need to work a notice period. When I got my job offer there was an email address to send deferral request. It should be fine but no harm making them aware in advance.

Should be fine, ds recently had a cs offer, proposed start date more than two months away. They asked if he would be available by then.

His security clearance took about eight weeks, before they made a formal offer.

Yes exactly! I’m worried they’ll just do the security checks just about in time for March and then say I can start next week…. But have told me not to give notice until the checks are complete!
Ok I’ve emailed the HR person and let them know,

I’m feeling a bit anxious about the whole thing as was offered a promotion where I am (local government) and after lots of agonising turned it down because I’d rather leave completely, but it’s a gamble as the offer is not formal yet.

And even though you have 2 month notice period, you can try to negotiate on that with your current employer - often happens. My employers seem to usually go along with it. I've seen it go down to 9 days in once case from 2 months!

Ok that’s good to know. Although we are a very stretched front line service so I don’t know how much they will negotiate.
I’m sure if I go before the school summer hols I must be owed some leave, so that will help.